


Another path to childhaving

by Keenir



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-19
Updated: 2013-04-21
Packaged: 2017-12-08 22:03:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,472
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/766526
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Keenir/pseuds/Keenir
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In a tale which could have unfolded, Belle receives the child of her friend.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Red's Intro

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Mirime](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mirime/gifts), [Mirime_vy](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Mirime_vy).



> Author’s Note: For the most part, I’ve tended to assume (as backstory) that the baby-deal with Ella was made so Belle wouldn’t be alone…but then I read a different fable with Rumplestiltskin, which sparked this. (and so did my thought of "Belle and Ruby are friends now - could they have become friends sooner, had things gone differently?")

Granny had told her to run, and Red had done exactly that, leaving Granny to handle the approaching villagers however she saw fit. But there is never a single path to follow in any woodland, and Red would not always take the same path.

When she felt it was safe to do so, Snow parted company with Red, saying there was a lot left to do in terms of fighting the Evil Queen her Stepmother. Red nodded and kept moving, always keeping one ear perked and listening to what anyone else would call background noise – what Red quipped was “where angry mobs are noticed first.”

A day and a half later, Red caught herself in time to avoid falling down a hill with the loose stones she had stepped on – but too late to stop that handful of rocks from tumbling down to the road which cut through this part of the forest.


	2. The road less taken in a woods (continued)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Belle and Ruby meet - but then the angry villagers catch up to them.

‘I tell you what. I’ll make you a deal,’ Rumplestiltskin had said to her. Belle mused that, _But he never said what he wanted in return. Can he do that – refuse to give a price or an exchange?_ The question worried Belle more than Rumplestiltskin himself had, which got Belle smiling, at the idea that, for all his shouts and possessions and dungeon basements, Rumplestiltskin had been out-scaried by an offhand question.

A clattering of rocks caught Belle’s attention, and her blood ran cold for a moment, thinking Rumplestiltskin knew, somehow, of what had caused such amusement in her thoughts. Belle dismissed that as ridiculous, then walked across the width of the road in the hopes of seeing who or what had sent the stones down. “Hello?” Belle called.

No response. “Hello?” Belle repeated. “Its okay.”

After a minute, a girl of about her own age emerged from the woods, wearing a cloak so vividly red that Belle first thought she had ties to nobility. “Hi,” she said to Belle.

“I’m Belle.”

“I’m Red.”

“Its nice to meet you,” Belle said.

“Thanks. Same to you,” Red said.

“The road’s safe,” Belle said. _I’m using it, and I’m…I’m not entirely sure what I am at the moment._

Ruby made a noncommittal sound.

“Are you okay?” she asked Red. “Do you need help? Shelter?”

‘I’m fine’ had been on the tip of Red’s tongue til those last words. “I don’t want to impose,” Red said.

“It’s not a problem,” Belle assured her. “I’d love to have you over.”

“Where do you live?”

“Top of the hill.”

Ruby looked uphill, though the trees obscured all but the tips of the castle. She was sure she knew what direction she had gone in, but she also knew she rarely looked at this corner of Granny’s maps. “Your castle?”

“Not exactly.” _Back home, we let our maids and butlers use the possessive when they talked about the ducal residence…but I doubt everyone is that tolerant._

“Ah. Your husband’s.”

“No.”

“Wife’s?” Ruby asked.

_I should explain,_ Belle knew. “You should know I’m –“ but was interrupted by the shouts of an approaching mob.

Baying and howling dogs answered Red’s question of how they’d found her again. She looked at Belle and said, “I’ll understand if the offer’s gone now.”

“Nonsense,” Belle said, and said something which has echoed down the halls of time and space: “Let’s run!” And run they did, all the way to the bridge, when an arrow struck the ground next to them. They froze.

“Hand over the monster, Miss,” one of the mobmen said.

Belle very nearly laughed at that. “ _That’s_ what you want?” Belle asked.

“It is.”

“Okay,” Belle said; and while Red was looking at her, Belle thought, _I don’t expect I’ll hear the end of this, but…_ “Rumplestiltskin!” _Please._

“You rang?” Rumplestiltskin asked, appearing to the side of the mob. To the mob, he said, “ _You_ are trespassing.”

“Lord Rumplestiltskin, this need not concern you. We’re just here for the monster –“

Rumplestiltskin looked at Belle. “And what makes you so sure _I’m_ not the monster you should be concerned about?”

“Everyone knows you do nothing without a deal,” another in the crowd said.

“Careful with that hearsay, dearie, you’ll put an eye out. And I accept.”

“What?”

“You asked for a deal.” And with one of his trademark grins, “Now, what would you like?”

“The werewolf.”

Belle blinked. Rumplestiltskin’s face gave nothing away.

But the Dark One said, “In exchange for – ooh, I know – all of you become deer. Mind you, this time of year, you wouldn’t have antlers.”

“Rumplestiltskin,” Belle said, trying to get his attention.

“Busy now,” he replied. To the mob, “Well? Or perhaps the power of Midas is more your speed. What say you?”

“Deal,” the leader of the mob said, stunned at the good fortune: _a monster to slay, and so much gold!_

Rumplestiltskin giggled. “I’m glad,” and snapped his fingers.

The mob turned to gold. No-one in the group was left breathing.

_They were all close together._

“Now,” Rumplestiltskin asked, turning to face Belle, “What did you want to tell me ?”

_After you got rid of the problem?_ “Nothing,” Belle said.

“A shame. So, who’s your friend?”

“This is Red. She needs a place to stay – overnight, and I said she could stay with me. You… don’t mind, do you?”

“Don’t mind at all. No, no, any guest of Belle’s,” and smiled. _Perhaps I don’t have to pay Ella that ballroom visit after all._

“Thank you,” Red said.

As the girls went inside, Rumplestiltskin asked, “Will you be sharing your room?”

“That’s fine,” Red said.

“My room,” Belle said to her, sheepishly, “is a jail cell in the dungeon.”

“In a castle this size?”

“That’s what I meant to tell you – I’m the help.”

“So was I all my life,” Red commiserated. “Me for my granny, you for him.” _Whopping big brush strokes there, but still. After what she did for me, it’s the least I can do – she could’ve handed me over to that bunch at any point._

“I’ll try to get you better accommodations,” Belle offered. “The cells are rather small.” _You’re very calm. How could anyone think you a monster?_

“No rush. I’ve been on my feet for at least a week now – I need to keep busy.” _’Cause if I close my eyes, I see what I did to Peter, and what I might’ve – could’ve – done to Snow and Granny._ “Got any chores you’d rather not do?”

“Can you cook?” Belle asked. Faced with Red’s look of astonishment and ‘wait, didn’t you just say you are the maid?’ Belle said, “Before I came here, I was a dukesdottir. Never allowed to cook anything.”

_Oh,_ and wondered how a noblewoman had ended up here, as a servant. _Like me, seeing sanctuary? Or…_ “Is Rumplestiltskin your –“

“No,” Belle answered swiftly. “I made a deal to protect my lands from the encroaching ogres, and the price was to be a custodian on Rumplestiltskin’s estates,” and remembered once again his ‘it’s forever, dearie.’

“Estates, plural?” Red asked.

“I suppose so. I’ve only seen the one, though.”


	3. In the Dungeon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Belle and Ruby explore the dungeon of Dark Ones' collections. And Rumplestiltskin has company over, to discuss an upcoming war.

_I gave him an out, didn’t I?_ Belle mused. _I used my solitary stay here, as a tool to enquire about him. And now I’m not going to be the only woman here. I walked right into it._

******

Belle poured from the thing – she wasn’t sure of the name for this thing, only that it looked like two drinking horns fused together – into the flagons of Rumplestiltskin’s guests. Two of them this time.

Two individuals who Belle and Red had to feed and pour drinks for - _to the best of my knowledge, normally, Rumplestiltskin only has one guest at a time, to ask him for something,_ Belle thought.

“Flagon, young lady,” said one guest. Belle looked at her and saw that this guest – a young woman by the name of Saroté – was blind. Belle placed the flagon in her hand, only to be told, “Don’t be afraid.”

A quiet chuckle from the other guest – Boojum.

“I’m not,” Belle said.

“A lie is unbecoming,” Saroté said. “Though the word may have a differing meaning here.”

“And we can smell dishonesty,” Boojum said.

“You’re dismissed, Belle. Go, rest,” Rumplestiltskin said. When Belle was gone, off to chat with Red, Rumplestiltskin said to Saroté and Boojum, “And now the news.”

“The component armies of my own world cycle in their times of readiness and rest,” Saroté said. “Presently, the residents of the Labrynth and the devotees of Dracula are prepared to storm into a world,” and Saroté looked at the Boojum, daring her to be any less ready and prepared.

“The armies of the Red Queen are now at full readiness,” spoke the Boojum.

“And your own?” Saroté asked.

“I have none. My lord’s army is likewise set for mobilization.”

“You are part of that army, Boojum, spy.” In most worlds, the two words were synonyms.

“Lets not quibble over anatomy,” Rumplestiltskin said.

“Speaking of, may I notice your housekeeping staff has increased?” Saroté asked him.

“Yes it has, to two,” Rumplestiltskin said. “I started with one, and she made a decision; protected a stranger.”

“You always find the noble ones.”

“Are they still strangers?” Boojum asked.

“They cooperate,” Rumplestiltskin said. “They talk.”

“Nonanswer.”

“Dark One.”

“God,” Saroté Moreau said, trumping them both. “And what will you do with them?”

“That depends,” Rumplestiltskin said. “Are you ever going to do anything with Jiminy?”

As the conversation continued, the Dark One could feel his employees scurrying about, this way and that, and coming to a cellar door.

*****   
**Minutes afterward…**

“Speaking of which…Big place,” Red commented.

“Very,” Belle agreed. “I’ve been here a few months,” _I think. Pretty sure. There aren’t exactly calendars around here._ “Still a lot I haven’t explored yet.”

“Feel up for it?”

“Now?”

“Why not?”

“I suppose… okay.”

“We don’t need to ask permission, do we?” Red asked. “You know, let him know where we’ll be.”

“He hasn’t objected yet,” Belle said. “Though we shouldn’t touch anything, just to be sure.”

Red nodded. _Don’t want to end up a part of the collection._

*****

“…can do anything anything anything under the sun,” Belle said, feeling the conversation was getting a little silly. _But then again, when venturing from a stone staircase to an endless-looking corridor, some humor comes in handy._

“And in the darkness,” Red added, then switched to more observation than anything else - “Okay, this definitely qualifies as a dark and stormy basement,” Red commented on the feel of the estate’s underbelly.

Belle nodded as they walked into the first room after setting off down the long unmarked hallway. “Cages?”

“Yeah. Metal, wood, strings, jewels.”

There were all manner of things on display. From a pea seed laying alongside a tower of mattresses, to the head or tail of some monstrous sea beast. And – 

“A baby,” Belle said, seeing what was propped up on one of the stone platforms.

“Careful there,” Rumplestiltskin said.

Placing her hand over her heart, Belle said, “Rumplestiltskin, you almost scared me to death.”

“Nah,” he said.

“How did you…?” Red asked.

“Would you prefer to hear that I’ve been walking behind you both all this time, or that I have alerts around all my inheritance?”

“Inh- You inherited all this?” Belle breathed. _That implies a line of succession._

“Indeed I did. Everything in this room was acquired by the Dark One Zoso. He even labeled them,” snapped his fingers, and spidery block letters appeared on the stones and other containers. “Ah, you found the BreyerBaby.”

“I heard that name,” Red said. “I always thought it was a nickname. How’d *this* catch BreyerFox?”

“Hence the ‘No Touching’ part of the sign,” Rumplestiltskin said. But he couldn’t help seeing the look in Belle’s eyes as the looked at the BreyerBaby. _To wait until little Ella is ready and set to deliver, or to find another source ?_

And then he had an idea to determine a course of action. “Follow me,” Rumplestiltskin said, leading them back out of the room, and to another chamber. Thousands of birds nested in here, forever caught in mid-song. And in the center of the collection –

“Another baby. An…an Arimaspean?” Belle asked, having seen a face like that in only one place: her books of ancient heroism.

“Yep. One of the cyclopean warriors, in the flesh,” Rumplestiltskin said.

“I *knew* they weren’t myths!” Red crowed.

“No. Now they’re extinct.”

“What? But…”

“The occupants of this chamber were gathered by the Dark One Joringel. Normally he turned his captives to birds. But his greatest foe, he youthened to a babe in swaddlecloth.”

“How long…?” Red asked while Belle stared.

“Oh I have no idea. An archaeologist would, and could count the years. I only know there were five Dark Ones between Joringel and Zoso.” Rumplestiltskin paused. “Would you like the baby?”

As expected, they were taken aback at this. “What?” Belle asked. And “Aren’t you worried he’ll grow up when he’s let out of there?”

“No.”

“Will he?”

“No, she won’t. And don’t worry yourselves about cost - **I am** the Dark One after all.” _I take the infant out, I pay the cost._

“That doesn’t make sense. Aren’t you a slave to making deals?” Red asked.

“To finding them, dearie. But as Belle pointed out the other day, she might never know another soul after you leave, Red.”

“So the child is what?” Belle asked. “Some idea of payment ^ ?” 

“Company. And you could always defer the child to your new friend.”

“Uh, I don’t think I should be having a kid,” Red said. _Though Granny and my mom obviously got it to work._

“I’ll have to refuse as well, Rumplestiltskin,” Belle said. “Thank you , though. But I don’t think it would be fair to wake her up, knowing she’s the last of her people.”

_Odds are good that her people will come back when the transfer-travel spell gets activated._ ) “Of course. Then dinner perhaps - the goose is cooked, after all.”

Red’s stomach groaned.


	4. Split

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Red makes her deal. And, in what I think is the end, we meet Ruby.

‘How long…?’  
‘Oh I have no idea. An archaeologist would, and could count the years.’

_Have I been a fool?_ Belle asked herself, standing before the carpet-sealed window of yet another room, as she replayed yesterday’s conversation in her head. _My father agreed to my youthful request to never be married off to someone twice my age… And now I am developing a crush upon someone who may well be older than my dynasty?_

Belle sighed, wondering how much of her behavior had been an inconvenience for Rumplestiltskin… _and how much of a laughingstock. Has my behavior been too easily interpretable, and does he laugh himself to sleep because of me?_

She had done her work far too well – when she kicked in frustration, there was no dust to be struck; just empty air.  
“I need to ask Red her thoughts, Belle said. _Red’s always been honest with me. And not in the ‘truth through omission’ that Rumplestiltskin does._

Belle took a step towards the door -- and heard the screams.

*****

**Minutes earlier…**

'You always find the good ones' was what replayed and replayed in Rumplestiltskin's mind, while his hands re- and re-felt the weight of catching Belle. 

The Dark One did not weigh in with what she wanted, nor with Belle's weakness.

So Rumplestiltskin reviewed what he knew of of the friend. 'Werewolf' as one of the mob had called her -- _A curious choice of epithet, to be sure. The last werewolf I met or heard of, was Lycaeon, a General in the army of Moreau's father._

Which begged the question -

“I do have a request to make,” Red said to Rumplestiltskin, interupting his thoughts.

“One to do no doubt with the approaching Full Moon,” Rumplestiltskin said. “Proceed.”

“Can you break or remove my curse?”

“No, and before you ask, neither will True Love’s Kiss.”

“I never –“

“As in my situation, whomsoever breaks the curse, **gains** the curse.”

“So if you broke my curse, you’d become a werewolf?” Red asked.

“Were I not already the Dark One.”

“So –“

“Magic does not simply _disappear_ , dearie; it _moves_. Onto Belle, most likely. And what true friend would do that?”

“Right.”

“Now, are you ready?”

Red frowned. “Ready for what? You just said –“

“You and King George have the same hearing problem,” Rumplestiltskin said. “I said I couldn’t _end_ your curse. I never said I couldn’t _remove_ it.”

“That’s possi- You can do that?”

“Oh yes. Split myself in two, once upon a time.”

“What’s the cost?”

“For myself, nothing. But Belle will have a hand in raising your firstborn.”

“Of course.” _She’s my friend. If I ever had a kid, I’d like her to help anyway._ “Deal.”

“Lovely. Now don’t worry, this won’t sting at all. It’ll hurt.”

Red saw him take her hand – and then she saw only pain, tasted cleftishness but no blood, and heard only her own screams.

*****

Belle ran and ran; but in the end, there was a locked door between her and them. “Rumplestiltskin!” Belle shouted when she could find no way to open the door.

“Open the - Open _this_ door!” Belle said as she pounded on the door, but was ignored. “I promised her she’d be safe,” Belle said, her voice breaking. She didn’t leave.

*****

The door opened in the breaking moments of dawn. Belle entered, slowly as she was watching something inside: two wolves – a giant and a pup – slowly transform into humans. The giant wolf was turning into Red.

“Ah, Belle,” Rumplestiltskin said as he draped Red’s cloak over Belle’s friend.

“The door… What happened here?” Belle asked.

“Two questions, one answer. I granted her request; and as she had no control over her other half, I locked us in.”

“With a baby??”

“She wouldn’t harm herself,” said a highly confident Rumplestiltskin. “And I know you’re awake.”

Red opened her eyes. “You were saying you did to yourself… What’d you do?”

“Unto you, dearie,” Rumplestiltskin said, picking the baby off the floor, paying no heed to Red’s growl.

Looking a little awkward at her reaction, Ruby asked, “So, that baby…”

“Is the wolf.”

“But I changed this morning. Transformed.” _Got my fingers and toes and other parts back._

“Details,” Rumplestiltskin said as he handed the infant to Belle.

Belle was taken by surprise by all this, as well as her unreadiness to hold a baby – even one as clean as this one was. But she finally could, did…though there was a long moment during the handover when both Belle and Rumplestiltskin were holding the child, and inadvertently looked into one anothers’ eyes.

And, Ruby could tell, neither of them had a clue what to say. So she saved them by changing the subject of conversation - “Go on, say it,” Red invited.

“Say what?” Belle asked, now the only one holding the baby.

“I’m a monster.”

Rumplestiltskin giggled. Red looked up to glare witheringly at him, but didn’t have the strength to do more than look stern – more a strongly-worded letter than a grenade.

“You’re not a monster,” Belle told Red.

“Werewolf,” Red said.

“Dark One,” Rumplestiltskin said, as if telling her, **I’m worse, I win.**

“ _Neither_ of you are monsters,” Belle assured.

“You didn’t do as you promised,” Red accused Rumplestiltskin.

“Not a particularly original accusation,” he commented.

“You said you’d –“

“For you to honor your word, dearie, you had to be something other than bleeding all week. Once I removed the little tyke here from you, I left enough wolf in you for you to repair yourself.”

_Oh._ “Then I suppose –“

But Rumplestiltskin had already vanished.

“I’m glad you’re okay,” Belle said.

“Thank you,” Red said.

“You’re sure you’re okay?” Belle asked. “Nothing hurts or anything?”

“I’m fine. More than I’ve felt in a long time.”

“Okay. Let’s get you something to eat,” Belle said, helping her up and being a crutch.

******

While the two of them supped soup, Belle casually said, “I may not be a monster in guise, but I have the blood for it.”

“You?” Red asked. “You’re too nice.”

“Thank you. I like to think that’s a trait from my ancestor.” Lowering her voice, Belle added, “I can trace my line of descent back to the King of Demons.” _Not **evil** , true, but most would say _monstrous.

_Very cool._ “Only that’s not what people see when they look at you.”

A semi-wry semi-pained look on Belle’s face now. “Anyone traveling through my duchy knew. Anyone who hears the name of me of any of my family, they know. That’s why nobody came to aid my duchy when the ogres threatened.” _That’s why Rumplestiltskin was our only option._

“Monster-by-association. Er, -by-relation. Either way, I get it.”

“Would you like some more soup?”

Red nodded.

“So…what will you call her? The baby,” Belle asked.

“Not sure,” Red said, looking at her baby she’d never delivered. “I think… Ruby?”

“That’s a good name,” Belle agreed.


End file.
